In my co-pending application Ser. No. 07/791,513, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference, a system for the trenchless replacement of underground pipes, such as for water and sewerage, is described. This system uses an hydraulic ram as a power source which is placed inside a working pit which is located at one end of a pipe section being replaced. A pipe replacement tool is pulled through from a service pit at the opposite end of the pipeline being replaced by means of a cable or pipe stem connected to the ram.
The lateral pipe replacement system of the present invention is intended to compliment the functions of the larger system described in the above co-pending application. The primary purpose of the system according to the present invention is the trenchless replacement of smaller diameter lateral pipe sections. This system may also be used for the replacement of smaller diameter, shorter sewer mains by the pipe bursting method, i.e., the method by means of which the old pipe being replaced is fractured by means of a pipe bursting tool, such as described in the above-mentioned co-pending application.